Summary of "My 2025 Creative And Business Goals With Joanna Penn"

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers
• Host/Author: Joanna Penn
• Description: Writing Craft and Creative Business
• Episode: My 2025 Creative And Business Goals With Joanna Penn
• Release Date: January 1, 2025

1. Introduction and Personal Reflection

Joanna Penn opens the episode by sharing her excitement about setting and outlining her creative and business goals for the year 2025. As she approaches her 50th birthday, Joanna emphasizes the importance of accountability in achieving her aspirations. She states, “I've been doing this for years now and accountable to myself and I hope you find it interesting and it might spark some ideas for your goals” ([00:00]).

2. Overarching Theme: Leverage

The central theme for Joanna's 2025 plans is leverage. She defines leverage as “utilizing available resources, assets, tools, and relationships to achieve more” ([02:30]). Joanna draws inspiration from Archimedes’ famous quote, “Give me a place to stand and a lever long enough and I will move the world,” highlighting her belief in maximizing potential through strategic use of resources.

3. Specific Goals for 2025

a. Leveraging Existing Books

Joanna aims to capitalize on her current literary works to enhance her reach and revenue:

• Launch "How to Write Nonfiction, Second Edition": Targeted for release by the end of January 2025, this revised edition will be promoted through various podcasts, social media campaigns, and paid advertisements ([08:15]).
• Secure a Book Deal for "Blood Vintage": Collaborating with her US agent, Renee Fountain, Joanna plans to either secure a traditional publishing deal or opt for self-publishing by the end of 2025 ([10:20]).
• Publish Existing Short Stories: Joanna intends to print her existing short stories, add two exclusive ones, and launch them as a Kickstarter collection. Additionally, she plans to convert "Catacomb" into audiobook format ([12:45]).

b. Leveraging Assets for Increased Income

To generate more income from her existing assets, Joanna outlines several strategies:

• Monthly Book Marketing Plans: Implementing organized marketing strategies using AI tools to create comprehensive plans for her books ([15:10]).
• Reorganizing Shopify Stores: Enhancing her websites, creativepenbooks.com and jfpenbooks.com, by creating more granular collections to improve discoverability ([17:05]).
• Content Marketing Reinforcement: Strengthening her content marketing efforts for JF Pen by linking back to her stores and focusing on fiction-specific marketing to enhance discoverability through Large Language Models (LLMs) ([19:30]).

c. Leveraging AI Tools

Joanna plans to integrate advanced AI tools to streamline her one-person business operations:

• AI Agents for Marketing: Exploring AI agents from Google Gemini and OpenAI’s Operator to handle multi-step marketing processes, particularly for book promotions ([22:00]).
• SEO Optimization for LLMs: Investigating search engine optimization tailored for generative AI searches to boost her book’s visibility ([23:45]).
• Visual and Video Media Production: Utilizing tools like Midjourney, Runway ML, and Sora to create engaging visual content and book trailers, aiming to enhance her marketing materials ([25:30]).

4. Key Projects and Initiatives

a. "How to Write Nonfiction, Second Edition" Launch

Joanna is focusing on the successful launch of the second edition of her nonfiction guide. She plans extensive promotion through guest podcast appearances, social media engagement, and strategic advertising campaigns. The book will be available on her website and pre-ordered across other platforms by January 31, 2025 ([30:10]).

b. Achieving "50 Books by 50"

Celebrating her 50th birthday in March 2025, Joanna reflects on her long-term goal of publishing 50 books by the age of 50. She shares, “Create a body of work I'm proud of, 50 books by 50” ([35:00]). This milestone serves as a motivational benchmark, driving her to continue producing quality work and exploring new genres.

c. Shifting to Standalone Books

Recognizing the limitations of her extensive series in achieving certain accolades, Joanna plans to balance her series work with standalone novels. This strategy aims to make her work more accessible for awards and broader recognition. Projects include:

• "Blood Vintage": Whether traditionally published or self-published, this standalone aims to expand her reach.
• "The Desert Book" and "The Tall Ship Book": New standalone projects inspired by personal experiences and historical elements ([40:25]).
• "Gothic Cathedral Book": A project that may lead to a new series in crime or fantasy genres ([42:15]).

d. J.F. Penn Short Story Collection Kickstarter

Joanna is excited to launch her fifth Kickstarter campaign dedicated to a short story collection. This project will feature eight existing stories and two exclusive ones, available in various formats including a special hardback edition and an audiobook version. She emphasizes the potential of short stories to explore diverse genres and creative ideas without the commitment of a full novel ([45:50]).

5. Community Engagement and Patreon

Joanna values her interaction with her community and plans to continue nurturing it through Patreon. She highlights features such as:

• Tool Demonstrations and Business Practices: Sharing behind-the-scenes insights and effective business strategies ([50:10]).
• Live Office Hours and Q&A Sessions: Providing direct support and engaging with her audience in real-time ([51:30]).
• Exclusive Content: Offering members-only articles, demos, and audio content to foster a supportive and interactive community ([53:00]).

6. In-Person Events and Networking

Despite a busy schedule, Joanna is committed to participating in various in-person events to enhance her networking and promotional efforts:

• Library Event in Bath: Scheduled for February 22, 2025 ([55:20]).
• Retreat with Orna Ross in Ireland: Planned for April, offering a blend of creativity and relaxation ([57:15]).
• Author Nation in Las Vegas: Confirmed for November, focusing on networking and professional growth ([58:45]).

7. Health and Fitness Goals

Understanding the importance of physical well-being for sustaining creative productivity, Joanna outlines her fitness objectives for 2025:

• Strength Training: Committing to lifting weights twice a week, aiming to improve her deadlift, squat, and bench press ([60:00]).
• Powerlifting Competition: Planning to enter the same competition as the previous year with goals to increase her weights and enhance overall strength ([61:30]).
• Calisthenics: Aspiring to achieve a freestanding handstand, perform movements on rings, complete a one-minute dead hang, and execute pull-ups ([63:00]).

8. Conclusion and Call to Action

Joanna concludes by encouraging her listeners to share their own goals for 2025, emphasizing that every goal, regardless of its scale, is valuable. She reassures aspiring authors that even modest goals, like completing a first draft, require dedication and commitment. Joanna invites feedback and interaction through various platforms, including her website, YouTube channel, social media, and email ([65:00]).

She also teases the next episode, which will delve into writing craft with insights from her editor, Kristen Tate, focusing on improving fiction writing and discussing the transition from page to community ([66:30]).

Notable Quotes:

• "My overarching theme for 2025 is leverage, which can be defined as utilizing available resources, assets, tools and relationships to achieve more." ([02:30])
• "I measure my life by what I create and I also measure it in years." ([01:30])
• "Series books are not so well positioned for my three bucket list items above. For example, very difficult to enter book 17 of a series into an award." ([38:15])
• "Remember, you can join us for less than the price of a coffee per month at patreon.com P-A T-R-E-O-N.com TheCreativePenn." ([56:50])

Final Thoughts

Joanna Penn's 2025 goals reflect a strategic blend of leveraging existing resources, embracing new technologies, and expanding her creative horizons. Her multifaceted approach aims to enhance her literary impact, increase income streams, and maintain personal well-being. By sharing her plans openly, Joanna not only holds herself accountable but also inspires her audience to set and pursue their own aspirations.